Fisheries Biologist, La Grande Ranger District — Wallowa-Whitman National Forest, U.S. Forest Service
The La Grande Ranger District, Wallowa-Whitman National Forest is filling a GS-0482-9/11 Fisheries Biologist position in La Grande, Oregon. This is a supervisory position.
The USAJOBS Announcement 24-R6-GVA-12334658-DP-TR will be open to applicants from March 12-18, 2024!
This position is instrumental in helping the Forest move on-going planning projects forward and meeting forest, region, and agency priorities. The Wallowa-Whitman in partnership with the neighboring Umatilla National Forest and many diverse partners recently submitted a Collaborative Forest Restoration Proposal (CFLRP) that was selected as the top project in the nation presenting new opportunities for advancing landscape scale restoration activities including activities focused on aquatic restoration objectives. The successful candidate will serve as the primary fisheries representative for interdisciplinary planning teams at the La Grande office. This position is responsible for section 7 Endangered Species Act consultation for a wide array of district projects and ongoing management activities. The duty station for this position is located at the base of the beautiful Northern Blue and Wallowa Mountains in La Grande, Oregon.
This position will work directly for the La Grande District Ranger. The fisheries biologist serves as a member of an interdisciplinary team performing routine work as a fisheries biologist in support of vegetation management, fuels reduction, livestock grazing management, recreation, and a robust fish and aquatic habitat restoration partnership program. The district fisheries biologist will provide biological input for fish habitat management, development of fishery management plans, ensure compliance with fishery management plans, and prepare a variety of reports on effects to fish and aquatic resources from proposed management activities.
Analysis includes gathering, compiling, and analyzing data to determine fish habitat needs; determine key spawning and rearing areas, recommend solutions to issues or problems involving fish and aquatic resources; and determine the need for fish and aquatic habitat improvement projects. This position will develop project plans for inclusion in Forest program of work. The district fisheries biologist works cooperatively with State, Tribal, and Federal fish, and water quality management agencies. Duties include gathering information for stream and lake management plans, surveys of fish and aquatic distribution, and work with partners to identify fish habitat restoration actions. This position has a critical role on interdisciplinary teams and will integrate with other disciplines for developing projects-purpose and need, proposed action, and action alternatives. This position will integrate with the engineering program, range program, and fire program in planning and implementation of projects that may affect fish and aquatic habitat. The district fish biologist will serve as leader for fish and aquatic habitat inventory and monitoring on the district.
The district fisheries biologist may supervise permanent and temporary seasonal technicians and coordinate with other disciplines on shared resources (such as permanent Natural Resource Technicians). Other responsibilities include: public relation activities, such as speaking at meetings and participation in field trips, lead outreach and education activities in local schools and the community, report fish habitat management programs accomplishments to district ranger and aquatic program manager.
If you have any questions about the job, please contact La Grande District Ranger (acting), Aric Johnson aric.johnson@usda.gov or call 541-962-8517. For more information about the Wallowa-Whitman National Forest, access the Forest Website at http://www.fs.usda.gov/wallowa-whitman